My thoughts on the Phillies season.

Utley is a lock as the National League’s Representative at Second Base

Utley continues to widen voting lead
Phillies second baseman on pace to start All-Star Game
By Ken Mandel / MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA — Chase Utley isn’t just coasting down the home stretch. He’s cruising to an easy win among All-Star Game voters.

Another week of voting has widened Utley’s already sizeable lead on Chicago’s Mark DeRosa — he has more than twice as many votes — and remains the National League’s leading vote-getter. All other second basemen will have to be named by NL manager Clint Hurdle to attend the Midsummer Classic.

With 2,645,027 votes, Utley has more votes than the Astros’ Lance Berkman, the Yankees’ Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez, the Red Sox’s David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez and the Braves’ Chipper Jones.

Utley lifted his 23rd home run on Saturday against the Rangers, and has been among the leaders in many offensive categories. He’s had two stretches in which he’s homered in five straight games. The left-handed-hitting slugger started the 2007 All-Star Game, going 0-for-2 in San Francisco at AT&T Park, and played in the 2006 contest, going 1-for-2 in Pittsburgh at PNC Park.

The Phils superstar is in line to make his second straight All-Star start, and this will be Utley’s first career appearance at Yankee Stadium in the final season of the historic ballpark.

The 79th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, being held at Yankee Stadium in its final season, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD, and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 8 p.m. ET. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage. XM will provide satellite radio play-by-play coverage of the XM All-Star Futures Game.

The Midsummer Classic will be the fourth held at Yankee Stadium and the eighth in New York City. The Yankees previously hosted the All-Star Game in 1939, 1960 and 1977; the Polo Grounds held the game in 1934 and 1942; Ebbets Field was the site in 1949; and Shea Stadium hosted the 1964 tilt.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the Monster 2008 All-Star Game Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until July 2 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Starting rosters will be announced during the 2008 All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Chevrolet on TBS on July 6. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the Monster 2008 All-Star Final Vote at MLB.com.

The voting doesn’t end there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet at the All-Star Game via the Monster 2008 All-Star Game MVP vote at MLB.com.

Ran Howard, who has struggled this season, has remained in fifth place among first basemen, behind Houston’s Lance Berkman, Chicago’s Derrek Lee, St. Louis’ Albert Pujols and Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder.

2008 MLB All-Star Balloting : National League

First Base

RANK

PLAYER NAME

NL TEAM

TOTAL VOTES

1.

Berkman, L.

Astros

2,132,663

2.

Pujols, A.

Cardinals

1,408,622

3.

Lee, D.

Cubs

1,383,909

4.

Fielder, P.

Brewers

1,166,433

5.

Howard, R.

Phillies

773,104

Second Base

RANK

PLAYER NAME

NL TEAM

TOTAL VOTES

1.

Utley, C.

Philles

2,645,027

2.

DeRosa, M.

Cubs

1,139,698

3.

Uggla, D.

Marlins

947,245

4.

Matsui, K.

Astros

931,559

5.

Weeks, R.

Brewers

817,377

Third base

RANK

PLAYER NAME

NL TEAM

TOTAL VOTES

1.

Jones, C.

Braves

2,433,753

2.

Ramirez, A.

Cubs

1,373,565

3.

Wright, D.

Mets

1,165,590

4.

Hall, B.

Brewers

752,773

5.

Reynolds, M.

D-backs

606,487

Shortstop

RANK

PLAYER NAME

NL TEAM

TOTAL VOTES

1.

Ramirez, H.

Marlins

1,483,875

2.

Tejada, M.

Astros

1,315,240

3.

Theriot, R.

Cubs

1,114,336

4.

Rollins, J.

Phillies

914,962

5.

Reyes, J.

Mets

902,506

Catcher

RANK

PLAYER NAME

NL TEAM

TOTAL VOTES

1.

Soto, G.

Cubs

1,827,279

2.

McCann, B.

Braves

1,149,247

3.

Kendall, J.

Brewers

1,089,604

4.

Molina, Y.

Cardinals

1,015,125

5.

Molina, B.

Giants

775,653

Outfield

RANK

PLAYER NAME

NL TEAM

TOTAL VOTES

1.

Soriano, A.

Cubs

2,120,635

2.

Griffey, K.

Reds

1,917,739

3.

Fukudome, K.

Cubs

1,783,983

4.

Braun, R.

Brewers

1,751,058

5.

Holliday, M.

Rockies

1,069,940

6.

Lee, C.

Astros

1,052,114

7.

Ankiel, R.

Cardinals

996,673

8.

Hart, C.

Brewers

986,861

9.

Beltran, C.

Mets

966,281

10.

Burrell, P.

Phillies

939,953

11.

Ludwick, R.

Cardinals

916,150

12

Pence, H.

Astros

849,878

13.

Cameron, M.

Brewers

849,387

14.

Upton, J.

D-backs

837,799

15.

McLouth, N.

Pirates

734,385

Results updated: Monday, June 30, 2008

(H/T Phillies.com)

It is almost over and there is no way that Chase isn’t going into the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium as the Phillies’ representative. In my opinion, I think Brad Lidge will also be going, while Cole Hamles may have an outside shot of getting there. Sadly, I don’t see anyone else on the team getting there outside of a miracle.

3 Comments

One player who I think deserves consideration as a reserve would be Pat Burrell. Maybe it’s just because he hits the Marlins so well, but his power numbers are up there with most other outfielders. We shall see if Hurdle takes him, but I think he has a shot to be named

Have to agree…I think Pat should be considered. He has been the one consistent bat all year for the Phillies, even throughout this horrible interleague stretch. Among NL Outfielders, he is currently ranked #3 in HR’s, #2 in on base %, #7 in RBI’s, #5 in slugging %, #6 in total bases and #2 in walks. And believe me, that patience at the plate has been a lot of what has kept this team floating at the top of the NL East. He really deserves the nod!

To Marlinsin62003 and Phillies Phollowers: While I will be the very first person to admit that Pat Burrell, based on what he has done so far this year, should be given a nod to go to the All-Star game, it doesn’t mena that he will be given the nod. Remember, the pitchers and all but one of the reserves will be picked by the manager of the previous year’s champion, and Clint Hurdle could decide that while he should be given the nod, he might be forced, with the present nature of the all-star game beast being that every team in the league needs to be represented by at least ione star, he might go with someone who is the only All-Star for one of lousier teams in the league. Add to that that the NL has two teams more than the AL, and you’re going to have a situation where several legitimate stars are going to get overlooked because of something like that. While I’m praying that Pat will get the nod, I’m not going to be bitching and moaning if he doesn’t get it. I mean, I’d been following the All-Star Game, and the politics around it since 1970. I’m too old to get angry if one of my favorite players doesn’t get the nod. It just means that we have to make sture to stuff the ballot for him next year. ;)

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